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Super-hero
fans' fix just around the 'Corner'
Kenmore store boasts diverse
selection of comic books
By Andy Nystrom
Staff writer
Bothell-Kenmore Reporter
When the last four digits of your phone number
spell out "X-Men," it's clear you're serious about comics.
And like the popular characters who possess super-human powers, Paige Gifford has a
gift of her own: bringing people together in the name of comics. One
example was when the owner of Corner Comics in Kenmore gathered 13 people - customers, friends and
family members - to go see the opening-night screening of the
"Spider-Man" movie. They all met at the shop beforehand,
and later enjoyed what Gifford called "the best super-hero movie
ever ... I've seen it a few times now."
It's that love of comics that intrigued Gifford
as a child, and now as an adult she's keeping others interested in these
fantasy-tales through her shop. Featuring some 400 titles, action
figures, card games and such, Corner Comics has been going strong since
1981.
Gifford, who bought the store in 1998 from
original owner Ron Church, remembers first reading "X-Men" and
"Archies" comics, but she soon put
them aside when she got older. However, when a friend introduced her to
the intricately drawn Japanese anime stories of "Robotech,"
"Ceres" and "Sailor Moon" in the early '90s, Gifford
was back on board.
"I got hooked," Gifford said. "The
Japanese stuff, I went, "Wow. That's really cool." So I starting picking up comics again."
After her stints as an assistant manager at
Delight Collectibles in Lynnwood and as a customer service
representative/warehouse worker at Diamond Comics Distribution ended,
Church offered to sell the shop to Gifford. With some inheritance money
in hand, she jumped at the chance.
"Diamond had just laid me off, so I said,
'Let's go,' and I did it," Gifford said, throwing her hands in the
air. "And I don't regret it. There's nothing like being your own
boss and owning your own business."
Hot titles at Corner Comics are
"Spider-Man," "Batman" and "Origin," along
with the always popular "Simpsons"
figurines.
Since Gifford took over - and moved the shop to
6575 N.E. 181st, a few doors over from its original spot - she says
business has doubled. Things have been so good, in fact, that she's
established a subscription service for her most loyal customers, most of
whom she greets by their first name. Looking somewhat like mail boxes at
the post office, the customers' slots are regularly filled with their
comics of choice and paid for when they frequent the shop.
Comer Comics also boasts one of the state's most
extensive back-issue catalogs, which results in Gifford often selling
items to collectors throughout the United States via her Web site and eBay.
As she searches for a few of her favorite comics
in the 900-square-foot shop, Gifford gets an almost serious look on her
face. It appears she's perused so many of them - and there might even be
a few to still look into.
"I like checking out the new stuff,"
Gifford said. "Some people think I sit and read all day. But that
doesn't happen ... There's bills to pay and
other things (chores) to do."
It all amounts to keeping business flying high
like a super-hero over at Corner Comics.
For information, call (425) 486-9636 or check the
Web at www.cornercomics.com.
Hours are 1pm to 6 p.m.
Monday-Friday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday
Originally
printed in the June 6th edition of 'Kenmore Reporter'.
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